# IIHF Continental Cup

The Continental Cup is a second-level ice hockey tournament for European clubs (behind Champions Hockey League), begun in 1997 after the discontinuing of the European Cup. It was intended for teams from countries without representatives in the European Hockey League, with participating teams chosen by the countries' respective ice hockey associations. Hans Dobida served as chairman of the Continental Cup until 2018.

## Format
### IIHF Federation Cup

The Federation Cup was an official European ice hockey club competition created in 1995. It was the second European competition for club teams, intended for those teams who could not qualify for the European Cup, especially for those from Eastern European countries. It was the direct predecessor of the IIHF Continental Cup, which was played two seasons later.
In the first year of competition, 13 Eastern European teams from twelve countries participated in the tournament. In a KO-system with three qualifying groups, which qualifies the four participants in the finals. The following year was played in the same mode. Due to the increased number of participants (some Western European clubs had registered for the competition), an additional qualifying round was introduced.

### IIIHF Continental Cup

The competition began in 1997–98 with 42 clubs from 26 countries, which expanded to 48 teams for the next two years. The tournament was played in seeded rounds of qualifying groups. There were three rounds of qualifying groups, with winners of qualifying groups progressing to the next round. The three winners of the third round groups entered the semifinals, along with the host club. The first round was held in September, the second in October, the third in November and the finals in December.
In the 2000–01 season, with the European Hockey League on hiatus, the Continental Cup became the de facto European club championship. The format remained the same, with 36 teams from 27 countries.
With the beginning of the IIHF European Champions Cup from 2004 to 2005, participants included national champions of countries not in the Super Six (the top six European nations according to the IIHF World Ranking), as well as teams from Super Six leagues, which included HC Dynamo Moscow and HKm Zvolen.

## Winners
### Federation Cup winners

| # | Season | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Third | Host |
| 1 | 1994–95 | Salavat Yulaev Ufa | 4–1 | HC Pardubice | Slovenia | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| 2 | 1995–96 | AS Mastini Varese | 4–3 | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | Russia | Trenčín, Slovakia |

### Continental Cup winners

| # | Season | Winner | Runner-up | Third | | Host |
| 1 | 1997–98 | TJ VSŽ Košice | Eisbären Berlin | Ilves | | Tampere |
| 2 | 1998–99 | HC Ambrì-Piotta | HC Košice | Avangard Omsk | | Košice |
| 3 | 1999–2000 | HC Ambrì-Piotta | Eisbären Berlin | Ak Bars Kazan | | Berlin |
| 4 | 2000–01 | ZSC Lions | London Knights | Slovan Bratislava | | Zürich |
| 5 | 2001–02 | ZSC Lions | Milano Vipers | HKm Zvolen | | Zürich |
| 6 | 2002–03 | Jokerit | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | HC Lugano | | Lugano & Milan |
| 7 | 2003–04 | Slovan Bratislava | HK Gomel | HC Lugano | | Gomel |
| 8 | 2004–05 | HKm Zvolen | Dynamo Moscow | Alba Volán Székesfehérvár | | Székesfehérvár |
| 9 | 2005–06 | Lada Togliatti | HK Riga 2000 | ZSC Lions | | Székesfehérvár |
| 10 | 2006–07 | Yunost Minsk | Avangard Omsk | Ilves | | Székesfehérvár |
| 11 | 2007–08 | Ak Bars Kazan | HK Riga 2000 | Kazzinc-Torpedo | | Riga |
| 12 | 2008–09 | MHC Martin | Dragons de Rouen | HC Bolzano | | Rouen |
| 13 | 2009–10 | Red Bull Salzburg | Yunost Minsk | Sheffield Steelers | | Grenoble |
| 14 | 2010–11 | Yunost Minsk | Red Bull Salzburg | SønderjyskE Ishockey | | Minsk |
| 15 | 2011–12 | Dragons de Rouen | Yunost Minsk | HC Donbass | | Rouen |
| 16 | 2012–13 | HC Donbass | Metallurg Zhlobin | Dragons de Rouen | | Donetsk |
| 17 | 2013–14 | Stavanger Oilers | HC Donbass | HC Asiago | | Rouen |
| 18 | 2014–15 | Neman Grodno | Fischtown Pinguins | Ducs d'Angers | | Bremerhaven |
| 19 | 2015–16 | Dragons de Rouen | Herning Blue Fox | GKS Tychy | | Rouen |
| 20 | 2016–17 | Nottingham Panthers | Beibarys Atyrau | Odense Bulldogs | | Ritten |
| 21 | 2017–18 | Yunost Minsk | Nomad Astana | Sheffield Steelers | | Minsk |
| 22 | 2018–19 | Arlan Kokshetau | Belfast Giants | GKS Katowice | | Belfast |
| 23 | 2019–20 | SønderjyskE Ishockey | Nottingham Panthers | Neman Grodno | | Vojens |
| - | 2020–21 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 24 | 2021–22 | Cracovia | Saryarka Karagandy | Aalborg Pirates | | Aalborg |
| 25 | 2022–23 | HK Nitra | Ducs d'Angers | Cardiff Devils | | Angers |
| 26 | 2023–24 | Nomad Astana | Herning Blue Fox | Cardiff Devils | | Cardiff |
| 27 | 2024–25 | Cardiff Devils | Brûleurs de Loups | GKS Katowice | | Cardiff |

## Medals

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Slovakia | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 | Belarus | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 | Switzerland | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Great Britain | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| 5 | France | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 5 | Russia | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 7 | Kazakhstan | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | Denmark | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 9 | Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Austria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Poland | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 12 | Finland | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 13 | Norway | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Germany | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 15 | Latvia | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 16 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 17 | Hungary | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (17 entries) | Totals (17 entries) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 81 |
Note: Great Britain's medal total includes three teams from England, one from Northern Ireland, and one from Wales.